Goodbye and Good Riddance, 2018

This past half year has not been one of my best, even if life remains quite excellent in general. Yesterday morning, we faced yet another trial.

Tilly the cat began going back and forth between one litter box or the other and her favorite water bowl. I followed to find a bare dribble of urine left behind. She settled down as Sunday afternoon approached but we were left with no doubt she required medical attention.

What timing. Would I be able to get her seen before the New Year?

As it happened, yes. The veterinary clinic had two back-to-back slots open this morning. Bless them, I think they might keep some time free for emergencies, however minor.

“How fast can you get here?” the receptionist asked.

If not for the fact I still wore pajamas, I would have reserved the entire half hour. Jezebel and Tilly are due for their yearly check-ups and vaccinations. But under the circumstances, I asked for the 8:45 slot and jumped into clean clothes. I arrived a few minutes early and we got in almost immediately.

Last September Tilly suffered a UTI right before our big vacation. Our kindhearted pet sitters took her for the recommended single antibiotic shot. Today the veterinarian looked back at Tilly’s chart and said rod shaped bacteria such as were found in her urine then were more resistant to the Convenia shot than oral options.

“Well,” I said, a bit flummoxed, “Tilly is really good at taking pills.”

The vet acted delighted, telling me she had just the thing. Our poor kitty’s bladder is so messed up that it was about acorn sized and they couldn’t get a sample. I wonder if she’s had a low grade infection all these months.

Grrr…

Anyway, it’s water under the bridge. Short of canceling our trip, that was our best option at the time. Today they sent us home with seven Orbifloxacin tablets, easily broken in half for twice daily doses.

I also received a liquid oral pain medication for her. She took both like a trooper and seems like her old self, if a little (blessedly) quieter, perhaps because the Buprenorphine can cause sedation. She’s still bright eyed and meows when spoken to.

The vet would still like to do an analysis on her urine. I will work on that later this week. If I can’t manage it, we have to go back anyway since she didn’t receive her vaccinations. They didn’t want to stress her little old body further.

On the bright side, it all cost just a little over seventy-five dollars (US) with a nail clipping thrown in for no extra charge. And I stood in the presence of an honest-to-goodness falconer while checking out. He came in to discuss preventive medical concerns.

Did you know the state requires a license for a person to legally handle falcons?

Happy New Year to you and yours!

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To Bean, or Nattō Bean – & – Itty Bitty Bananas

Sorry about the bad pun. And the Japanese word is pronounced naht-toe in reality. But I couldn’t resist (sorry, Liz ~grin~).

This type includes four servings to a package, others only three.
All provide nutritional information in English on the bottom.

I may have mentioned fermented soybeans before. Having heard about it years ago as a favorite classic Japanese breakfast (now, not so much as I understand), I had to taste. My first one came frozen via US Postal Service, believe it or not, because no grocery store I knew carried such a thing. Now, a nearby multinational market called Jungle Jim’s has a freezer full of various brands from which to choose.

Each serving is in its own little Styrofoam box.

Most Americans I know would be put off by the fermented beans’ slimy texture. Back in my office days I would take this to work for my lunch on occasion. As much as the meal itself, I enjoyed horrifying my domestic colleagues while intriguing our Japanese transplants.In truth, it’s a mystery how I managed not to make a mess at my desk. This morning I wiped my mouth after every bite, and went so far as to wash the lower half of my face afterward. Heh…

It’s seriously sticky stuff.

That clear plastic off to the right kept the sauce packets from getting gooey.

Nattō has been around for thousands of years. Commercial production began in the early twentieth century with the discovery of a bacterial starter culture simplifying the process. Thanks, Wikipedia, for the good article.

There is a sort of coffee flavor to our favorite brands. Served over rice and topped with the contents of both these savory sauce and hot mustard packets included, it’s quite satisfying. I add a dash of regular soy sauce to the rice, as well.

Chopsticks were gifted me by the proprietress of our favorite Chinese eatery.

Jungle Jim’s also carried miniature bananas from Costa Rica. How nice to have a taste of the fruit without getting tired of it. My husband and I have taken to sharing the larger kind available from most grocers. Today I teased, asking if he wanted to split a banana before handing over one of these little things. My cheekiness earned a laugh.

Two bites and you're done.

Have you laughed out loud today?

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Merry Christmas to Me!

Friday morning all I wanted to do was write. But I made myself get on the Nordictrack, where I at least go to read my latest story to date.

(To be honest, I don’t do the cross country arm ‘skiing’ motion because it leaves me too out of breath, so my laptop perched high to the side allows me to even type minor edits during my workout.)

Anyway, soon after that I got recruited to drive my husband to the pharmacy and then grocery shopping. I warned him of my plan to write later. And, of course, another mention of that plan earned me puppy dog eyes alongside a plea to join him for some television.

By that time it was already the hour when we meet up most days. So, I caved in.

But I got my reward in the form of no complaint over a minor splurge in the grocer’s flower department. Many long years after a young Jezebel destroyed my Christmas cactus, I at last have a new one. This is one of the few houseplants that likes our home. Morning sun in the entryway seems perfect for this festive bloomer.

I think I'll name this plant 'Joy'.

Let’s hope this little guy does as well, and blooms twice a year like my old plant.

Have you treated yourself to anything lately?

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Accountability – Who Knew?

Years ago a friend of mine wanted to communicate early every morning, via whatever form of instant messaging existed in the day, to motivate one another for the day’s goals. I declined, saying my husband didn’t trust the Internet security of such a thing. While true, and he still refuses to use any sort of typical social media, that was also an excuse.

I knew who would benefit from her request, and she would have been the only one. To me, the thought of needing someone to hold me accountable seemed ludicrous. If I am not going to get up and do something on my own, nobody else will make it happen.

Leave me alone and I get things done.

And I might reward myself with images of cute boys...

Fast forward to today. Perhaps due to the fact I’m so much older, and my body sometimes resists what I know needs done, my good intentions don’t always see fruition.

Then, as it happens, over the summer I made a close friend who has become like the little brother I never had.

We communicate almost every single day, most often via Facebook messenger. In an ironic twist, that’s turned out to be an insecure way to converse. But I’m rather addicted to our chats. And telephone calls are something I tend to dread. I’m much better at communicating with the written word.

But I learned something interesting the last few days.

Not out of any conscious intent, I tend to inform him of the day’s plans. That usually entails writing and exercise goals in response to what he has shared. And when I tell my friend Robert that I intend to, say, go for a swim, it disappoints me if I fail to do so.

I am simply more likely to follow through. If you’ll excuse me, now, I have to get off the Internet and get on my NordicTrack.

Do you have an accountability partner?

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A View From My Writing Space

I am very happy with my laptop. It’s nice to be able to write from various vantages. Sometimes, though, I need to shed the distraction of the Internet and social media.

That’s when my AlphaSmart3000 comes in handy.

On Monday I set it up on our dining table. You can see the beast itself below, a low tech wonder.

Like my Christmas place mat?

I enjoy this view of my Christmas tree. Candles made the space even cozier.

'Tis the Season

So do kitties. Jezebel has taken to using an old dog bed donated by my parents after their pet Rocky passed away.

Looking out the Window...

I turned around after taking the above image to find Tilly begging at my feet. With nothing given her, she lost interest and wandered away. Her meerkat posturing never fails to make me laugh.

Already looking to the dry food bowl as I had nothing to give her...

All the while I enjoyed music through my Soundfreaq speaker. This morning I’m listening to Alanis Morissette’s “Flavors of Entanglement”. It’s a beautiful album. Yesterday my soundtrack was very different. I still lament the loss of Chris Cornell, who conceived of Temple of the Dog following the loss of his friend, lead singer of Mother Love Bone.

The Photo Features My Maternal Grandparents

Have you ever heard music by Temple of the Dog?

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Author Spotlight - Nick Wilford's "Black & White" Trilogy

Today I am delighted to announce the upcoming release of the second book in Nick Wilford’s ‘Black & White’ trilogy. 'Corruption' will be available February 11, 2019. I reviewed the first tale here, and now I’m happy to announce that book #1 has a new cover and is now available as permafree.

Blurb: Wellesbury Noon and Ezmerelda Dontible have found themselves in a position where they can make their native land somewhere that lives up to its name: Harmonia. However, they’re setting their sights further afield for their number one task: eradicating the disease that has plagued the neighbouring country of Loretania for generations and allowed the privileged Harmonians to live in a sterile environment.

After dispatching a team of scientists to Loretania, armed with cratefuls of an antidote and vaccine and headed up by their friend, Dr George Tindleson, Welles, Ez, and Welles’s brother Mal – who grew up in that benighted nation – start to worry when they hear nothing back, despite what they had agreed. Commandeering a fishing boat to follow the science team over the sea, they soon find that, while the disease may be on the way out, a new kind of infection has set in – the corruption they thought they had stamped out in Harmonia.

Can they get to the root of the problem and eradicate it before even more damage is done to an innocent people?

*** Warning – this book contains themes that some sensitive readers may find upsetting. ***
Pre-order links: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / Kobo  

Add it on Goodreads

Black & White (Black & White #1)

Cover Design: Germancreative

Blurb: What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?

In Whitopolis, a gleamingly white city of the future where illness has been eradicated, shock waves run through the populace when a bedraggled, dirt-stricken boy materialises in the main street. Led by government propaganda, most citizens shun him as a demon, except for Wellesbury Noon – a high school student the same age as the boy.

Upon befriending the boy, Wellesbury feels a connection that he can’t explain – as well as discovering that his new friend comes from a land that is stricken by disease and only has two weeks to live. Why do he and a girl named Ezmerelda Dontible appear to be the only ones who want to help?

As they dig deeper, everything they know is turned on its head – and a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity.
Buy links: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

Add it on Goodreads

~

Have you read any good books lately?

PS My apologies to Nick Wilford as I made a mistake and didn't post yesterday as planned.

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Unplugged and Unleashed

Last Friday turned out to be quite a downer. Just about every post on social media revolved around heartbreak or upset, either physical or emotional distresses.

No doubt presented a photographic review of 2018 as I saw others share on FB, one dear lady’s heart broke anew over reminder of a young cat killed in the road. She spent this past summer nursing that little rescue and his mother to health, documenting them in daily pictures. A few weeks ago she turned them over to her brother, who proved less responsible.

Little Cleo never reached adulthood.

Three local mothers shared deep concern over their daughters. One, college aged, is suffering mysterious gastrointestinal misery and we’re waiting to learn what her dual invasive tests reveal. The second, a few years younger, has serious behavioral issues. A grandmother of the trio sees her adult child suffering intense neck pain.

These poor moms feel helpless, their hands all but tied.

Another friend, who moved from my area to Ireland with his new bride, found himself unprepared for the roles of husband as well as father to his soul mate’s teen-aged son. He undertook it like other endeavors, I’ve learned, planning to emulate good dads he’s known. Finding himself unable to maintain the sort of mask that exhausted him at the end of a normal workday, he exposed a side his lady love could not handle and has since been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

I believe his uncertain future includes an annulment.

So on Saturday the fifteenth I fired up my laptop, disconnected Internet connectivity, and focused on a short story. My husband gently teased that I was going to my ‘safe space’.

He wasn’t wrong.

On the bright side, my freedom from the usual digital barrage allowed my muse to soar. I’ve since furthered an incomplete story and fostered ideas for future chapters.

I should focus on the positive fact that all these struggling with grief at least knew/know love, shouldn’t I? How was your weekend?

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New Speak

"What?"

As cats will, ours decided to wake us at five o’clock this morning for a feed. My husband grumbled something and I said, “The natives are restless.”

After that, all I could think was how language evolves. That phrase, an outdated colloquialism now, would strike fear in past generations. And that led my ever curious mind to this strange moral panic, as social commentator Styxhexenhammer666 puts it, in which some folks can find the most minor slip of the tongue offensive.

How, my sleepy brain wondered, would today’s terminology and linguistic acrobatics force a colonist to word such a warning? Perhaps, I thought, one might be expected to say, “The aboriginal peoples suffer insomnia.”

Did you know the phrase ‘letting the cat out of the bag’ came from a time when a pig might be sold in a poke (an ancient term for bag) and a dishonest vendor might switch out the valuable livestock for a feral feline?

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Author Spotlight - Tina Holland's "Finding Your Path to Publishing"

The Lovely Tina Holland

Today I am honored to spotlight a book by the delightful Tina Holland. She is a talented writer, dear friend, and active supporter of her fellow artists. Take for example her latest publication, “Finding Your Path to Publishing”. Without further ado, I present this helpful guide in Tina’s (and fellow author A. Catherine Noon’s) own words.

About the Book

Finding Your Path to Publishing is a book designed to help authors find a home for their work.   Whether that is to find an agent and get a New York Contract or to Indie Publish your works, every path is different.  This book will help you find the right path for you. 

Questions about your process and style will guide you to help make the best decision for your project and you as a writer.

Acknowledgement

The first time I met author Tina Holland, she asked me what I was doing as an author. She shared a genuine interest in my success and gave me several suggestions that I incorporated into my plans, which ultimately resulted in Rachel Wilder and I being offered our first publishing contract.

Tina’s passion for writing is second only to her passion for helping other writers succeed, to truly pay it forward in the writing world in a way that enriches and lifts up the people who come in contact with her. I first took her FEARS workshop, which stands for Finish, Edit, Analyze, Research, and Submit, several years ago and loved every minute of it. She makes what can be a bewildering array of options and tasks seem doable. She creates a clear path forward, whatever the writer’s ultimate goal – to land a “New York contract,” find an agent, publish with a small press, “Indie pub,” or blog.

I’m as excited about Finding Your Path to Publishing as I was when I first met Tina, because it does exactly what the title promises: guides you, teaches you, inspires you, to find your path.

~ A. Catherine Noon, Author

www.noonandwilder.com

Founder of Writer Zen Garden


Buy Links:

Books2read

Tina Holland on Amazon
Excerpt

Hello, my fellow writer!  Congratulations on writing your first book, or maybe even your fifth.  

My name is Tina Holland.  I’ve written over ten books, am published with two houses and have been nominated for awards.   I write Contemporary, Paranormal and Fantasy Romance, and now I can add Non-fiction to the list.

Writing is a journey for many of us, myself included.  Very few of us navigate the sea of words without discovering more about our characters, the subject matter, or even ourselves.

This book is intended to help you navigate the publishing world to find the best home for your book, even if that home isn’t quite finished.

While I am not an expert on everything, I do have a very healthy knowledge of the publishing industry, simply because it fascinates me.  I probably should’ve been an agent, but I love writing too much.   The business is changing rapidly and some of the material within will be dated within months of publication.  However, I hope to provide you with the basic principles and etiquette of the industry. 

Tina Holland  

Author Social Links:

Website       http://www.tinaholland.com/

Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/author.tina.holland/

Twitter        https://twitter.com/haveubeenaughty

Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/tina_holland

Pinterest     https://www.pinterest.com/haveubeenaughty/

In the classic words of Ms. Holland, have you been naughty lately?

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Fussing with Floss

For whatever reason, our latest package of dental floss has a manufacturing flaw. The product performed fine for weeks before the strands all of a sudden unraveled last week and forced me to open the case for a fix. Today that happened again and it took three tries before I found a solid length of sturdy intact ribbon. We’ll see how the rest goes.

Meanwhile, I thought about two other minute issues with super simple solutions. The first involved waste. There have been numerous instances through the decades when I failed to pull out an adequate amount and couldn’t get the proper grip to hold on. Then one day several years ago I had an eye rolling moment.

After one successful cleaning, I held out the used thread to gauge its length. That turned out to be the same as my forearm.

Duh…

Works like a charm. But be warned, I have short arms. ~grin~ So user results will vary.

As for another complaint, I have mentioned an increasing gag reflex which builds during the flossing and brushing processes. For whatever reason, thank heaven, the sensitivity doesn’t extend beyond my own fingers.

Now before your mind goes into the gutter, maybe I’m just talking about not gagging in the dental chair.

~shakes finger~

Anyway, I found an ability to pretty well clean between either my upper or lower teeth without retching. This allows me to rotate between them and maintain good health.

In addition, my hygienist recommended flossing in the afternoon as opposed to morning per some anecdotal experiences. Some other, less fortunate patients struggle through the professional cleaning. Since I’m pretty satisfied with my results, I haven’t made a real effort to test this. But I will keep my prescheduled appointments to late morning at the earliest.

Did you know there is an alleged link between poor dental hygiene and heart disease?

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Morning Fix & an Imposter

For whatever reason, caffeine no longer agrees with me. I have gone from a few (complimentary, I might add) cups a day at my former office job to using caution when ordering iced tea at restaurants. No refills, please. Don’t feel bad, though, my caffeine intake really isn’t missed.

A few years ago I found a fruity green tea that seemed interesting. And boy, howdy, is it ever refreshing served over ice, even better than hot. To make a box last longer I first steep a plain green tea bag in a small amount of boiling water for two minutes.

The Good Stuff

Then I swap out the bags and let the concoction sit for as long as I can stand. More time equals stronger flavor, of course, not that it needs any help in that department.

It would seem I’m not the only area resident who is a fan. Sometimes the shelf is empty of this particular flavor. During this last shortage, my dutiful husband waited while I perused other brands.

At last I selected a Lipton product boasting the same fruits. No. Never again. That stuff tasted synthetic. Yet the box boasted ‘more fruit flavor’ than before. Odder still is the fact it contains soy.

Why?

I tried various ways to make it palatable to no avail. Doubling up on that instead of using plain green to use them up faster, I ended up tossing out the last three bags. For me, that’s rare. It bothers me letting any food stuffs go to waste.

Have you ever had anything açaí flavored?

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Rainbow Snippet for December 9, 2018

It’s been a while since I posted six sentences from an LGBTQIA+ body of work. My November project ended up being pure het, and kept me too busy to read from the other talented authors of the Rainbow Snippets FB page. I’ve missed these folks and hope you’ll check them out.

The following is a bit of ugliness from a disturbed mind. I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

Snippet:

Nickolas turned his head as if to say more. Shadowed by ruddy carmine and burnt caramel waves, his stoic wide-eyed face in profile was the most beautiful, erotic, and damning thing I’d ever seen. If I could pin him to a butterfly board and look at him forever like this my soul wouldn’t even scream sliding into hell.

That made me feel more unworthy, uglier and dirtier than my bastard of a father ever managed and I cursed this cocky kid for his silent, smug dismissal. Why was his body so slim and perfect, hair long and shiny while I got stuck with this doughy body and a crappy crew cut my father wouldn’t let me grow out? Nickolas taunted me with a placid smile.

~

If he could read this mind, do you think Nicky would run?

#rainbowsnippets

_

Tech–Nonsense, First World Gripes, and a Lucky Discovery

The other morning I heard interesting music coming from my husband’s computer. I stepped near the door and was instantly captivated. Along with nice, heavy rock and roll, I saw footage from what looked like a remake of the movie “Mortal Kombat”. Well, I’m no gamer but that first flick remains a favorite.

Before I had a chance to get too excited, my husband said, “It’s a video game trailer.” What? I walked away grumbling. If that’s not a ‘first world’ problem, I don’t know what is.

To drown my sorrows, I decided to play the original film’s soundtrack. Great stuff! I turned on my Soundfreaq and proceeded to pull up the music on my iPod.

Well, I encountered another issue. For whatever reason, the software separated the first song from the rest of the tunes.
 

Isn't Bile a great band name?

I ended up putting my classic iPod on my old docking station and it’s playing as I type. On a cool note, I figured out how to work the little alphabet to the right of my iPod screen.

Maybe George Clinton and the rest didn't want to hang with Bile?

Tapping the letters does nothing, you have to touch the screen over that which you want and swipe left. That was a lucky find. I figured there had to be a point to listing A-Z.

Msb stands for Michael Stanley Band, an old Cleveland favorite of mine.

Do you see now why I refuse to get rid of old tech?

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Christmas Decor, a Clever Man, and an Oops Moment

Well, I managed to put up the last of my Christmas tree ornaments. Since I saw some friendly interest (thanks, Strayer, in particular), here is a photograph. The star is about one inch from the ceiling.

Many ornaments were gifts, some from my teen years!

Below is one of my favorite ornaments, purchased a decade or so ago from The Christmas Store in Manteo, on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island. That place also has an awesome Halloween department, gifts for the home, and beautiful art. I can’t help thinking of Pam Jackson with that lovely purple gift bag the artist worked in.

Love those 'fuzzy' sparkles!

As for my man’s cleverness, he helped me out yesterday with his earlier fix for a painful pinky. Holding down a key for his video game character to ‘run’ caused the overused first knuckle to ache. I found the same problem yesterday from slapping the back arrow key in the process of copying and pasting edits between MSWord and Scrivener documents.

The solution? Use first aid tape to stabilize said knuckle. I needed to cut the tape in half along its length so as not to mummify the entire teeny appendage, and taping it feels wrong when I’m flat-out typing, but I’m keeping the stuff handy. It's difficult photographing your own finger, I discovered, even with your dominant hand.

Not the Actual Pinky as I'm right handed. Heh...

As for my oopsy, it’s quite amusing. For the sake of my husband, who is a Halloween fanatic, I’ve kept out some of those decorations, including our creepy clown monster. His leer is astonishing.

Gah!

Soon after I moved my Christmas bear to a better location to ‘converse’ with Dancer the reindeer, I entered the room at just the right angle to help explain the creep’s expression. Check out what he’s touching.

Proctologist Clown

I have since moved the clown.

Santa Bear got a clean bill of health, at least.

Was it OCD, as my oh-so-funny spouse suggested, to move the clown?

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A Review of ‘Bodies in the Boatyard’ by Ellen Jacobson

I am honored to have been gifted the second Mollie McGhie cozy sailing mystery in grateful exchange of a fair review. Thank you, Ellen, for this opportunity. Free reads are awesome, as is the opportunity to support other authors.

Again, Ms. Jacobson’s delightful and quirky sense of humor shines as Mollie fumbles her way toward solving another murder case. In fact, as the title implies, there are two. And the plot includes way more suspects than stiffs.

Favorite characters return, such as Ben the poor dressing wannabe pirate who does odd jobs around the marina and pines for his elusive lady friend. Readers are also given further glimpses into the protagonist’s loving marriage. Exchanges between Mollie and Scooter never fail to make me smile.

I get the distinct impression there is a good deal of Mr. Jacobson in Mollie’s protective, chocolate and Cap’n Crunch loving partner. Please let Mollie’s propensity for finding dead people remain fiction. ~grin~ The light romantic elements woven through the various relationships, meanwhile, provides a fun and realistic touch.

It’s not beach season here in my northern hemisphere neck of the Midwestern woods, but curling up with this e-book in the light of my Christmas tree almost made up for the grey and chilly venue. If you like demanding kitties, especially those worming their way into aspiring sailors’ hearts while helping her intrepid human find clues, you’ll enjoy this book.

“Bodies in the Boatyard” is available both as an eBook at Amazon and paperback both on Amazon and Barnesand Noble. I hope you’ll give it a read and perhaps visit Ellen’s humorous and interesting blog, The Cynical Sailor andHis Salty Sidekick. Other places to find Ellen Jacobson include Facebook and her author page.

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A Change of Perspective, Getting My Freaq On, & Solution to a Tree/Knee Problem

Now that November has ended, and along with it the National Novel Writing Month challenge, I have over fifty thousand words of new beginnings on a story. Well, there is more to it than that, and some good scenes, but nowhere near an ending.

That’s okay.

I’m having fun changing the point of view from first person to third. I decided better storytelling would result from more than just Lita’s viewpoint and had fun writing some experiences of her young love interest, introducing his friends and family. I’ll be getting back to that tale soon, later today or tomorrow morning.

Now, about my early Christmas present, my portable Soundfreaq bluetooth speaker is tremendous. I’m listening to the “Hardware” movie soundtrack on it as I type, charging the battery at the same time since my playtime over the last three plus days finally drained the initial charge. My husband is amused and happy, stating that this will keep me entertained for a good long while.

About my right knee, we took a poorly planned trip to Florida before my mother passed away. I didn’t consider the fact my chosen dates butted up close to Independence Day and how many more cars that would put on the road. Slamming the brakes over and over in my stints through bumper to bumper traffic, I damaged the cartilage.

Somehow, my husband got clear sailing every time he took the wheel. ~grumble~ I’m blessed the joint isn’t more painful, but our steep cellar stairs are not doing it any good.

That’s where my Christmas tree comes in. The artificial beauty reaches my seven foot tall ceiling and, with ornaments, takes up four giant totes which are (of course) stored in our basement. I can’t ask for help as my husband couldn’t care less about my holiday decorating. And, anyway, he doesn’t help with Halloween despite my repeated requests and his love of that décor. But for the first time since 2015, I feel like having my tree up.

~sigh~

So, it took some thought, but I came up with a better solution involving our nice new back deck. Unlike the indoor stairs, that new deck staircase is wide and well measured, not steep and narrow. Yesterday proved to have perfect weather, ideal timing since that’s when the idea occurred to me.

Now I just need to get going on the decorating. ~grin~ On another bright note, I found my giant stuffed ‘Santa’ Christmas bear a whole lot easier to lift after the past few years of resistance training.

Yes, those are skull lights above these festive creatures...
Talk of removing them earned me adorable pouts.

Have you been watching SpaceX satellite launches (The Geek Embracing portion of this post; minutes ago we enjoyed another live webcast)?

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